Cigarette case



Oct. 18, 1932. c. E. ANDERSON 1,882,708

CIGARETTE CASE Filed July 23, 1930 69- i R m INVENTOR ATTOR Y.

Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE CARL E. ANDERSON, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORjTO EASTERN TOOL & I MFGLCQ, 0F BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY I CIGARETTE CASE Application filed July 23, 1930. Serial No. 470,109.

This invention relates to an improved cigarette case in which the cigarettes from a package or the package full of cigarettes, in the latter case after tearing off the top, are held in a closed case to protectthem and also to keep them from drying out and from losing their strength or aroma.

The invention comprises a case with a top which has a lid hinged to it. The top is provided with a wire which forms a strengthening rib around the edge, serves to hold the lid at its hinged edge and also serves as a latch to hold the free end of the lid shut.

The invention also comprisesa case which has a flexible bottom. This allows the cigarettes to be projected slightly from the top of the case to allow one to be grasped. This is economical because the cigarettes are not broken or torn and can all be extracted undamaged especially when a full or nearly full case is manipulated. When the original package is inserted into the case with the cigarettes in it, the upper edge of the case holds the package down and only the cigarettes are lifted to a point where one can be selected and withdrawn with ease. The cigarettes are not all projected the same distance as the flexibility of the bottom is of course greatest at the centre so that the middle of the pack projects the farthest. After the pack has been reduced in numbers the cigarettes are more easily withdrawn and can be shaken out if it is not desired to ele vate them by pressing on the bottom. The whole body portion or sack partof the case can be made of flexible material as thin leather, or rubber or like material or the sides can be of stiffer material such as sheet metal and only the bottom made of flexible or pliable material.

The invention is illustrated in 'the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front view of my improved cigarette case showing the right hand half in section. Figure 2 is a side view of the case showing the upper part as a central transverse section. Figure 3 is aperspective view of the frame at the top of'the case and Figure i is a perspective View of the lid that closes the frame shown in Figure 3.

around wire.

The case comprises a support which consists of a frame and a lid 11. Suspended from the frame is a bagor sack 12 which is of a size to receive a conventional or standard size paper cigarette pack 13. The sack has a'flexible bottom 14 which allows the thumb to press the cigarettes up-in order that one cigarette can be easily grasped and extracted without tearing it. The dotted line at 15in Figure 1 shows the bottom as forced upwardly and the dotted outline at 16 shows the top end of the protrudingciga rettes. This is of particular advantage with a full or nearly full package of cigarettes as the original package does not ride up with the cigarettes but is retained in place. The cigarettes'17 are shown in full lines as they are when pushed back into the'case.

The frame 10 consists of a wire 18 bent into a rectangular loop and supporting a thinsheet metalflange 19 which is bent over and around the wireand crimped over the top edge of the sack 12 by the two wings 20 and 21 of the flange. The frame is fairly stiff but yields slightly under pressure at the opposite sides. The finger .piece 22 provides space for pressing by the. thumb. The fold of the flange is cut away here and there to provide for securing the lid. The cut-away part at 23 exposes the wire at 24 to allow it to be engaged by the catch of the lid 11. The cut-away portions at 25 expose the wire to allow the knuckles'of the lid to be bent The wire thus. acts as a stiffener, as a catch for the lid and also as a hinge for the lid.

The lid 11 has the latch piece 26 to engage the wire at 24 when the lid is pressed to closed position. The knuckles 27 are bent around the wire in-the openings 25 to complete the hinge of the lid. One of the knuckles can be made shorter'than its opening to provide space for the spring 28 to snap the lid open when released.

It will be evident that the construction of the top piece provides for easy manipulation and a cheap and simple construction. v

The bulge or overhang when the flange is bent around the wire 18 offers an obstruction for theoriginal package when it is pushed up by the forcing of the bottom 14 and as the bottom of the original package is paper it also flexes under upward pressure and only the cigarettes appear, as at 16, when the bottom 14: is pushed up.

The top of the original package 15 is torn off before the package is inserted-in the bag 13.

1. In a case, a frame consisting of a wire looped to form a support, a metal flange folded over the wire and having openings to expose the wire, and a lid having a knuckle to engage the wire at an exposed place and a latch to engage the wire at another exposed place..

2. Inca case,a frame consisting of a wire formed into rectangular loop, a flange folded over the wire and having its wings adapted to grasp the top of a bag, a bag with its top between said wings, the flange having parts cut away to expose the wire, a lid with knuckles to engage the wire at an exposed place, and a latch on the lid to engage thewire at an exposed place, the wire having suflicient resilienc to release the latch when the frame is slight y compressed.

3. A cigarette case for receiving an original package of cigarettes, the case comprising a flexible ba with a normally flat bottom and straight si es, a rectangular frame con- 7 sisting of a wire, a lid hinged at one. side to the wire, and a metal flange folded over the wire and having wings grasping vthe top of r V the wire, the folded part extending partly over the inside of the bag to form a bul ed part to retain the package in the bag and to present a smooth surface for the passage of a cigarette when the bottom of the bag is pushed up. e

In testimony whereof he affixes signature. V CARL E. ANDERSON. 

